Aerating apparatus



Sept. 20, 1938.

E. w. BACHARACH F iled June 15, 1956 AERAIING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-:Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY p 1938. E. WIBACHARACH 2,130,577

AERATING APPARATUS Filed June 15, 1936 2 SheeiS-Sheec 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES 2,130,577 AERATING APPARATUS Eric W. Bacharach, Kansas City, Mo.

Application June 13,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to aerating apparatus such as used in water purification systems, and has for its principal object to provide an apparatus of this character constructed to introduce maximum application of air into the water under treatment and'to prolong the retention period with a minimum loss in pumping head.

Other important objects of the invention are to prevent losses of water because of evaporation, splashing or wind currents; to provide for efhcient liberation of entrained gases; and to provide a simplified apparatus that is readily disassembled for cleaning purposes.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical perspective view through an aerator embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the aerator, a part of the primary receiving and distributing basin being broken away to better illustrate the next lower receiving and distributing basin.

nozzles and its associated gas liberating chamber.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the lower end of one of the Venturi nozzles and its associated gas liberating chamber shown in disassembled spaced relation.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a vertically arranged pipe through which raw water is delivered to an aerating appa- 'ratus 2 embodying the features of the present invention. In the form of the invention illustrated, the aerator includes superimposed receiving and distributing basins 3, 4 and 5. The lower basin 5 includes a substantially cylindrical bowl having an annularwall 6 and a horizontally arranged bottom 1 provided with a central upstanding cylindrical collar 8 conforming in diameter to the pipe i and which has its upper end 9 extending above the wall 6. The bottom of the basin 5 is provided with an annular reinforcement it! that seats upon a lateral flange II carried by the end of the pipe I.

ment with the axis of the pipe by fastening devices l2 extending through openings It in the bottom of the basin and through aligning openings M in the flange as clearly shown in Fig. 1-. The upper end of the cylindrical collar 8 termi- 55 nates in an inset annular flange l5 which pro- Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the The basin is retained in fixed position and in concentric align-' 1936, Serial No. 85,115

vides an annular seat It for supporting the next upper basin. l

'The basin 4 corresponds to the basin 5 but the central tubular collar ll thereof extends downwardly below the bottom l8 to engage the annular seat in s'leeving relation with the inset flange l5. The basin 4 is secured in seated position by means of fastening devices such as cap screwsv is that extend through openings in the collar ll and into threaded openings in the flange l5 of the collar '8. The upper basin 3 is shown of smaller diameter than the lower basins and comprises an' annular wall 26 and a horizontal bottom 2! having a central opening 22 circled by a depending flange 23 that seats on the collar H of the basin 4 in identically the same manner as the basin 4 seats upon the basin 5.

The units thusfldescribed are all mounted in axial alignment so that the tubular collars thereof not only provide supports for spacing the respective basins to provide for admission of air therebetween, but they form continuations of the pipe I whereby the raw water is discharged through the inlet opening 22 in the upper basin 3 for lateral flow through the funnel shaped outlet nozzles 24 depending from the bottom of the basin and arranged in circular series about the opening 22. The water admitted to the basin is, therefore, distributed for gravitational flow in separate streams through the relatively smaller outlet orifices 25 of the nozzles.

Depending from the bottom of the basin 3 in axial alignment with each nozzle is a Venturi member 26 having a conical or bell-shaped upper end 21 conforming to the conical contour of the nozzles. The'upper conical ends of the Venturi members are spaced from the walls of the nozzles to provide annular air passageways 28 therebetween wherethrough air is drawn incidental to gravitational flow of liquid through the openings 25 of the nozzles. The Venturi members also have conical or bell-shaped lower ends 29 arranged reversely to the conical upper ends and are connected therewith through throats 33 substantially conforming in diameter to the orifices 25. The lower ends of the Venturi members form conical chambers iii to provide for expansion and agitation of the air and liquid passing through the Venturi threats.

The Venturi members thus described are suspended from the bottom of the basin 3 by means of fastening devices such as cap screws 32 that are extended through openings 33 in lateral ears 34 projecting from the periphery of the members and into threaded sockets 35 that are provided in bosses 36 on the bottom of the basin, the heads 31 of the cap screws engaging under the ears as shown in Fig. 1. The lower ends of the Venturi members are provided with diametrically arranged external bosses 38 having threaded sockets 39 therein to mount the shanks 40 of cap screws M which extend radially therefrom and have heads 42 for centering gas liberating and diversion chambers 43 that are suspended from the shanks of the bolts.

The chambers 43 are of pan-like character and have annular side walls 44 of larger diameter than the lower ends of the Venturi members to cooperate therewith in forming annular outlet openings 45 for overflow of the water and outlet of liberated gases. The diversion chambers 43 also have integral bottoms 46 for diverting the liquid and air upwardly through the annular openings 45. The chambers are provided with ears 4'! having lateral slots 48 therein to engage over the shanks of the cap screws 4| when the members 43 are partially rotated. The bottoms are provided with weep holes 49 to allow draining of the expansion chambers when the apparatus is taken out of service. The chambers are so supported that liquid seals are maintained therein with the Venturi members to efiect retention of the air during agitation.

The bottom of the basin 4 also has a plurality of outlet nozzles 50 arranged in circular series about the axis of the collar 11 and in staggered relation with the nozzles of the basin 3. Venturi members M are also associated with the outlet nozzles 52 of the same construction as those for the upper basin. The lower basin 5 has'outlet openings 53 through which the aerated liquid gravitates into a chemical. mixing chamber or coagulating basin (not shown), as in conventional water purification systems. The number of stages of aeration depends upon the condition and nature of the water being treated. In some instances only one set of nozzles and Venturi members may be necessary, however, in other instances two or more sets may be required.

In using an apparatus constructed and assembled as described, the water or other liquid to be aerated is moved through the pipe I with sufiicient head to overflow into the basin 3 from where it fiows laterally to the nozzles 25. The velocities of the streams of water are increased upon flow through the restricted openings 30, thereby decreasing the pressure surrounding the nozzle tips to produce a partial vacuum at these points which results in induced movement of air through the passageways 28 for flow along with the water through the throats 30 of the Venturi members where there is a drop in velocity. This drop in velocity causes the liquid and air to expand in the lower conical ends 29, thereby producing agitation and mixture of air and water during flow through the expansion chambers 3l Upon passing upon the Venturi members, the aerated water is diverted by the expansion chambers for fiow upwardly over the walls thereof and into the basin 4. The water, upon passing over the walls of the expansion chamber, is freed of entrained air and gases which pass away through the space between the basins 3 and 4. The streams of water, after passing the first stage,

are collected in the basin 4 and flow through the nozzles thereof to the next lower set of Venturi members where the aerating action is resumed as above described in the first stage. Upon overfiowing the wall of a second set of expansion chambers, the aerated water flows into the basin 5 and through the openings 53 in the bottom thereof to the chemical mixing chamber or c0- agulating basin (not shown).

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an aerator wherein a stream of water to be aerated is divided into separate streams which are thoroughly aerated through automatic induction of large volumes of air directly into the respective streams, and that the water is thoroughly treated in confined contact with the indrawn air over a suflicient retention period to assure thorough aeration.

It is also apparent that the entire treatment is carried out during gravitational flow so that only sufficient pump pressure or head is required to raise the water to the upper basin.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An aerator including a basin for receiving liquid to be aerated and having a circular series of funnel-shaped outlets for the liquid, Venturi members supported in spaced relation with said outlets to form air passageways through which air is drawn from atmosphere responsive to flow of liquid from said outlets, expansion chambers supported under said Venturi members for diverting flow of the liquid and having annular outlets to atmosphere for eiiecting liberation of entrained gases, and means located within the axis of said circular series of outlets for distrib" u *gng the liquid to said outlets.

2. An apparatus of the character described including a basin having a central liquid inlet and a circular series or" funnel-shaped liquid outlets surrounding said inlet for flow of liquid into and out of the basin respectively, Venturi members having upper and lower bell portions, means supporting the Venturi members with the upper bell portions in spaced relation with said funnel-shaped outlets to form air passageways therebetween through which air is drawn from atmosphere responsive to flow of liquid through said outlets for mixture with the liquid, and means suspended from the lower bell portions for retaining the mixture to effect expansion thereof in said lower bell portions and for diverting fiow of the mixture from said Venturi members to release the air.

3. An apparatus of the chaarcter described including a basin having a central liquid inlet and a circular series of funnel-shaped liquid outlets for flow of liquid into and out of the basin respectively, Venturi members having upper and lower conical portions connected by restricted throats, means supporting the Venturi members with the upper conical portions in spaced relation with said funnel-shaped outlets to form air passageways therebetween through which air is drawn responsive to flow of liquid from said outlets through said throats into expansion chambers formed within said lower conical portions, panshaped members suspended from the Venturi members below the expansion chambers for retaining and diverting fiow of the liquid, a second basin supported below the first named basin and having outlets for flow of liquid discharged from said pan-shaped members, and conduit means spacingly supporting said basins and for delivering the liquid to the inlet opening of the upper basin.

4. An apparatus of the character described including a plurality of superimposed basins, conduit means concentrically supporting the basins and for conveying a fluid to be aerated to the upper basin, a series of funnel-shaped liquid outlets connected with the basins for flow of liquid progressively from one basin to the next, Venturi members having upper and lower conical portions connected by restricted throats, means supporting the Venturi members with the upper conical portions in spaced relation with said funnel-shaped outlets to form air passageways therebetween through which air is drawn responsive to flow of liquid from said outlets through said throats into expansion chambers formed within said lower conical portions, and pan-shaped members suspended from the Venturi members for retaining and diverting flow of the liquid from said expansion chambers.

5. An apparatus of the character described including a basin having a central liquid inlet and a circular series of funnel-shaped nozzles having outlet orifices for flow of liquid into and out of the basin respectively, Venturi members having oppositely arranged conical chambers connected at the smaller ends by throatscorresponding in diameter to the orifices, means supporting the Venturi members in spaced relation with said funnel-shaped nozzles to form air passageways therebetween through which air is drawn responsive to flow of liquid through said orifices and throats of the Venturi members, pan-shaped members suspended from the Venturi members for retaining and diverting flow of the liquid, a second basin supported below and in concentric relation with the first named basin and having outlets for flow of liquid discharged from said pan-shaped members, and conduit means spacingly supporting said basins and for delivering the liquid to the inlet opening of the upper basin.

6. An apparatus of the character described including a basin comprising an annular side wall and a bottom having a central liquid inlet and a circular series of funnel-shaped outlets for flow of liquid into and out of the basin respectively,

' Venturi members, means supporting the Venturi members in spaced relation with said funnelshaped outlets to form air passageways therebetween through which air is drawn responsive to flow of liquid through said outlets, pan-shaped members suspended from the Venturi members to form a liquid seal for retaining said air in the liquid, and a receiving basin supported in spaced relation below the first named basin and having a. side wall extending above the pan-shaped members.

7. An aerator including a basin having a series of nozzles for flow of liquid out of the basin, means for supplying a liquid to the basin, Venturi members having oppositely arranged conical chambers connected at the smaller ends to form constricted throats, means supporting the Venturi members in spaced relation with the nozzles to form air passageways therebetween through which air is drawn from atmosphere responsive to flow of liquid through said constricted throats, pan-shaped members below each of the Venturi members for retaining and diverting flow of the liquid, and a second basin supported below the first basin for receiving the diverted liquid and having outlets for flow of the received liquid.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a series of superimposed basins having nozzles for flow of liquid from an upper basin to the next lower basin, means for supplying liquid to be aerated to the upper basin, Venturi members having oppositely arranged conical chambers connected at their smaller ends to form constricted throats, means supporting the Venturi members in spaced relation with the nozzles to form air passageways therebetween through which air is drawn from atmosphere responsive to flow of liquid through the constricted throats, pan-shaped members below the Venturi members for retaining and diverting flow of liquid, and means for collecting the liquid discharged from -the lower pan-shaped members.

ERIC W. BACHARACH. 

